Improvement in valves for hydraulic mains



HENRY I. M. BIRKINBINE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN VALVES FOR HVDRAULK; MAlNS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 313%,3418, dated December 31, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY P. M. BIRKIN- BINE, of the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Iniprovements in Fire-Protection and Operating Valves, of which the following is a specification:

My invention is applicable in cities or towns which are supplied with water that is caused to flow by its gravity from a reservoir, standpipe, or other receptacle, into which it is forced by means of a pumping apparatus. The invention consists in cutting off the flow'of water in the pumping main at any convenient point before it reaches the reservoir or other receptacle, and causing it to flow, by the force exerted by the pumping apparatus through the distributing main or mains, and thence through the fire-hydrants and the necessary hose for extinguishing fires without the use of the ordinary fire-engines. I effect this object by connecting at any convenient point a distributing-main with the pumping-main, and insert valves in each main so arranged as to have one opened and the other closed simultaneously by means of hydraulic or pneumatic apparatus or electricity, the apparatus being controlled from the pumping-station, policestation, or other desired point.

One of the modes by which I propose to opcrate the valves so as to transfer the force of the pumping apparatus to the distributing main or mains is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a pumping-main and distributing-main with the improvements attached. Fig. 2, Sheet No. 2, is a vertical section of a distributing-main provided with a back-pressure valve,

A is the pumping-main, and B a distributing-main. U is a valve inserted in the pumping-main at the point a, and 0 another valve connected with the?distributing lnain at the point a. D is a cylinder, which is provided with a piston, E. F is the piston-rod, at each end of which is jointed a connecting-rod, G, the outer ends of which connect with the crank-arms H H of the valves 0 and 0 J J are pipes which connect with the ends of the cylinder D and lead to the pumping-station, police-station, or any other point from which it is desired to operate the valves. The val ves are opened and closed by forcing water or other fluid through the pipe J when it is desired to close the valve 0 and open the valve 0 so as to out oft the flow of water into the reservoir or other receptacle, and to use the force of the pumping apparatus to force the water through the distributing main; and when the position of the valves is to be reversed, so as to open the flow of water to the reservoir through the pipe A and cut off the flow of water through the distributing-pipe B, the water or other fluid is forced through the pipe J into the cylinder 1). Pneumatic power may be used with the same apparatus instead of the hydraulic power for opening and closing the valves; or they may be controlled by means of electrical power. When this power is used the pipe J is connected with thepumping-1n ain, having a valve in it which is opened by means of a weight or spring. This is held or kept closed by a keeper at the end of a le ver, which'is so arranged that when a current of electricity is passed through it it disengages the lever and allows the valve to open, when the pressure of water in the main, acting upon the piston in the cylinder D, reverses the valves 0 and 0 A back-pressure valve must be placed in the main or mains leading from the reservoir, so that when the pressure in the distributing-mains becomes greater than that due to the head of the reservoir, the valve will close and prevent the water flowing back.

Fig. 2, Sheet N o. 2, represents an ordinary form of back-pressure or check valve, so placed in the distributing-main or mains that the flow of water from the basin, stand-pipe, or other receptacle will be as indicated by the arrow and will keep the valve opened; but as soon as the current of water is changed, by reason of asuperior pressure being produced upon the other side of the valve, it will close and prevent the water being forced back into the reservoir, stand-pipe, or other receptacle.

K is a pipe connected with the pumpingmain A. at the points I) and b, and provided with a safety-valve at any convenient point 0. The safety-valve is loaded to any desired pressure; and, when the pressure through the pumpingmain is in excess of this, the valve opens and allows the water to flow through the pipe into the pumping-main at b, and thence into the reservoir.

I do not confine myself to any particular form of valves, as any of the known valves for opening and closing pipes will answer the purpose; nor do I confine myself to the mechanical means shown for operatingthe valves.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of valves with the pumpiug-main and distributing-main, so that one shall open simultaneously with the closing of the other, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the cylinder D with its connecting-rods, the pipes J and J, and the valves 0 and O with the pumping and distributing mains, substantially as and for the purpose described 3. A back-pressure valve in comliuation resume for the purpose set forth.

HENRY r. M. EIEKIEEINE.

Witnesses THOMAS J. BEWLEY, STEPHEN UsrroK. 

